Oman's share index ends marginally lower

Muscat: The MSM index closed at 3,624.26 points, down 0.46 per cent from the previous close. The Shariah Index ended down 0.07 per cent at 516.9 points. Muscat Finance, up 2.70 per cent was the top gainer while Renaissance, down 4.68 per cent, was the top loser. Shares of Ooredoo were the most active in terms of the number of shares traded and also were the most active in terms of turnover.

A total number of 379 trades were executed during the day's trading session, generating a turnover of OMR1.4 million, with more than 4.9 million shares changing hands. Out of 28 traded stocks, 2 advanced, 12 declined and 13 remained unchanged. At the session close, foreign investors were net sellers for OMR343,000 while local were net buyers for OMR270,000 followed by GCC & Arab investors for OMR27,000 worth of shares.

Financial Index closed at 5,751.39 points, down by 0.29 per cent. Muscat Finance was up by 2.70 per cent. HSBC Bank Oman, Bank Nizwa, and National Bank of Oman were down by 1.08 per cent, 1.0 per cent and 0.63 per cent respectively.

Industrial Index closed at 4,023.71 points, down 0.55 per cent. Raysut Cement, Galfar Engineering, Al Anwar Ceramic and Al Maha Ceramic were down by 3.05 per cent, 2.38 per cent, 0.49 per cent and 0.48 per cent respectively.

Services index was down by 0.95 per cent before closing at 1,584.92 points. Al Suwadi Power and Ooredoo were up by 1.85 per cent and 0.53 per cent respectively. Renaissance Service, Phoenix Power, OIFC, Sembcorp Salalah and Omantel were down by 4.68 per cent, 3.57 per cent, 3.23 per cent, 0.49 per cent and 0.46 per cent respectively.